Deep tillage improves degraded soils in the (sub) humid Ethiopian highlands
Intensification of rainfed agriculture in the Ethiopian highlands has resulted in soil degradation and hardpan formation, which has reduced rooting depth, decreased deep percolation, and increased direct runoff and sediment transport. The main objective of this study was to assess the potential impa...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
MDPI
2019
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/106444 |
| _version_ | 1855514236149563392 |
|---|---|
| author | Hussein, Misbah A. Muche, Habtamu Schmitter, Petra S. Nakawuka, Prossie Tilahun, Seifu A. Langan, Simon J. Barron, Jennie Steenhuis, Tammo S. |
| author_browse | Barron, Jennie Hussein, Misbah A. Langan, Simon J. Muche, Habtamu Nakawuka, Prossie Schmitter, Petra S. Steenhuis, Tammo S. Tilahun, Seifu A. |
| author_facet | Hussein, Misbah A. Muche, Habtamu Schmitter, Petra S. Nakawuka, Prossie Tilahun, Seifu A. Langan, Simon J. Barron, Jennie Steenhuis, Tammo S. |
| author_sort | Hussein, Misbah A. |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Intensification of rainfed agriculture in the Ethiopian highlands has resulted in soil degradation and hardpan formation, which has reduced rooting depth, decreased deep percolation, and increased direct runoff and sediment transport. The main objective of this study was to assess the potential impact of subsoiling on surface runoff, sediment loss, soil water content, infiltration rate, and maize yield. Three tillage treatments were replicated at five locations: (i) no tillage (zero tillage), (ii) conventional tillage (ox-driven Maresha plow, up to a depth of 15 cm), and (iii) manual deep ripping of the soil’s restrictive layers down to a depth of 60 cm (deep till). Results show that the posttreatment bulk density and penetration resistance of deep tillage was significantly less than in the traditional tillage and zero-tillage systems. In addition, the posttreatment infiltration rate for deep tillage was significantly greater, which resulted in significantly smaller runoff and sedimentation rates compared to conventional tillage and zero tillage. Maize yields were improved by 6% under deep tillage compared to conventional tillage and by 29% compared to no tillage. Overall, our findings show that deep tillage can be effective in overcoming some of the detrimental effects of hardpans in degraded soils. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace106444 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2019 |
| publishDateRange | 2019 |
| publishDateSort | 2019 |
| publisher | MDPI |
| publisherStr | MDPI |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1064442025-10-14T15:09:09Z Deep tillage improves degraded soils in the (sub) humid Ethiopian highlands Hussein, Misbah A. Muche, Habtamu Schmitter, Petra S. Nakawuka, Prossie Tilahun, Seifu A. Langan, Simon J. Barron, Jennie Steenhuis, Tammo S. agricultural production deep tillage soil degradation humid zones highlands watersheds conventional tillage hardpans sediment rain runoff soil loss soil moisture infiltration maize crop yield ecology Intensification of rainfed agriculture in the Ethiopian highlands has resulted in soil degradation and hardpan formation, which has reduced rooting depth, decreased deep percolation, and increased direct runoff and sediment transport. The main objective of this study was to assess the potential impact of subsoiling on surface runoff, sediment loss, soil water content, infiltration rate, and maize yield. Three tillage treatments were replicated at five locations: (i) no tillage (zero tillage), (ii) conventional tillage (ox-driven Maresha plow, up to a depth of 15 cm), and (iii) manual deep ripping of the soil’s restrictive layers down to a depth of 60 cm (deep till). Results show that the posttreatment bulk density and penetration resistance of deep tillage was significantly less than in the traditional tillage and zero-tillage systems. In addition, the posttreatment infiltration rate for deep tillage was significantly greater, which resulted in significantly smaller runoff and sedimentation rates compared to conventional tillage and zero tillage. Maize yields were improved by 6% under deep tillage compared to conventional tillage and by 29% compared to no tillage. Overall, our findings show that deep tillage can be effective in overcoming some of the detrimental effects of hardpans in degraded soils. 2019-10-24 2020-01-06T08:15:56Z 2020-01-06T08:15:56Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/106444 en Open Access MDPI Hussein, M. A.; Muche, H.; Schmitter, Petra; Nakawuka, P.; Tilahun, S. A.; Langan, Simon; Barron, Jennie; Steenhuis, T. S. 2019. Deep tillage improves degraded soils in the (sub) humid Ethiopian highlands. Land, 8(11):1-15. doi: 10.3390/land8110159 |
| spellingShingle | agricultural production deep tillage soil degradation humid zones highlands watersheds conventional tillage hardpans sediment rain runoff soil loss soil moisture infiltration maize crop yield ecology Hussein, Misbah A. Muche, Habtamu Schmitter, Petra S. Nakawuka, Prossie Tilahun, Seifu A. Langan, Simon J. Barron, Jennie Steenhuis, Tammo S. Deep tillage improves degraded soils in the (sub) humid Ethiopian highlands |
| title | Deep tillage improves degraded soils in the (sub) humid Ethiopian highlands |
| title_full | Deep tillage improves degraded soils in the (sub) humid Ethiopian highlands |
| title_fullStr | Deep tillage improves degraded soils in the (sub) humid Ethiopian highlands |
| title_full_unstemmed | Deep tillage improves degraded soils in the (sub) humid Ethiopian highlands |
| title_short | Deep tillage improves degraded soils in the (sub) humid Ethiopian highlands |
| title_sort | deep tillage improves degraded soils in the sub humid ethiopian highlands |
| topic | agricultural production deep tillage soil degradation humid zones highlands watersheds conventional tillage hardpans sediment rain runoff soil loss soil moisture infiltration maize crop yield ecology |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/106444 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT husseinmisbaha deeptillageimprovesdegradedsoilsinthesubhumidethiopianhighlands AT muchehabtamu deeptillageimprovesdegradedsoilsinthesubhumidethiopianhighlands AT schmitterpetras deeptillageimprovesdegradedsoilsinthesubhumidethiopianhighlands AT nakawukaprossie deeptillageimprovesdegradedsoilsinthesubhumidethiopianhighlands AT tilahunseifua deeptillageimprovesdegradedsoilsinthesubhumidethiopianhighlands AT langansimonj deeptillageimprovesdegradedsoilsinthesubhumidethiopianhighlands AT barronjennie deeptillageimprovesdegradedsoilsinthesubhumidethiopianhighlands AT steenhuistammos deeptillageimprovesdegradedsoilsinthesubhumidethiopianhighlands |